1. Alan Gross — an American government contractor, was arrested in Cuba in 2009 and sentenced to 15 years for trying to deliver satellite telephones and computer equipment without a license. He was released in December as part of a deal between Obama and President Raul Castro of Cuba. Gross will be joined by his wife, Judy.

2. Scott Kelly — has been an astronaut since 1996 and spent more than 180 days at the International Space Station. He will return there in March for a one-year stay. Kelly's twin brother, Mark, also an astronaut, has become a gun control crusader since his wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was shot in the head in 2011.

3. Dr. Pranav Shetty — is the global emergency health coordinator for the International Medical Corps. He spent months in Liberia overseeing treatment for Ebola victims.

4. Larry Merlo — is CVS Health president and CEO. The chain is the first major retail pharmacy to eliminate tobacco sales at all its stores, a move applauded by the Obama administration.

5. Ana Zamora — was allowed to remain in the United States under a 2012 program to end the risk of deportation for young aliens brought to the country illegally, a program the House recently voted to reverse. Zamora wrote in a letter to the president that her parents "came to this country with a dream of a better future for their children."

6. Staff Sgt. Jason Gibson — lost both legs in Afghanistan. Unable to use prosthetics, he nevertheless took up surfing and skiing, obtained a pilot's license, and completed marathons on a hand cycle.

7. Prophet Walker — served a 6-year prison sentence for robbery and founded a program to help inmates get an education.

8. Anthony Mendez — grew up in a South Bronx family that was homeless for a time, but became the first member of his family to graduate from high school and go on to attend college.

9. Capt. Phillip Tingirides — of the Los Angeles Police Department leads a program that has helped people in Watts fight crime and has promoted better relations between police and the community.